Scones and cups of tea might not be for everyone, and that’s why restaurants and hotels around the U.K. are creating new and very unique dishes to serve up as part of their Afternoon Tea. If you’re looking for something different, we’ve pulled together a couple of the most unusual Afternoon Tea’s that will definitely be sure to get those taste buds tingling!Ma’ PluckerNestled in the heart of Soho you’ll find Ma’plucker which serves up the most amazing Afternoon Tea around - the Ma’s Dirty Birds & Doughnuts. If you’re like us and love American South vibes, then you need to head here to enjoy fried food that’s served with classic beverages such as Cherry flavoured Beer or Cold Brew Coffee.You’ll find it here: 75 Beak St, Carnaby, London W1F 9SS

CircoFollowing it’s incredible re-opening, Circo welcomes guests to experience an Afternoon Tea that they’ll never forget.. It’s served on Saturdays from 2pm, and replaces those traditional sandwiches with everything you can dream off - hot dogs, Sticky Coca Cola Pulled Pork Sliders, Mini Big Top Burgers and mini candy floss sundaes. What are you waiting for, book it now…You’ll find it here: 13-21 Seel St, Liverpool L1 4AU

Salcombe Harbour Hotel & SpaIf you’re one of those people who enjoy the Salmon sandwiches, then this Seafood Afternoon Tea will be right up your street! The menu consists of everything fishy, from oysters, crab sandwiches and even a lobster avocado wrap. The hotel is surrounded by beautiful coastline, making it the perfect unique backdrop for your Afternoon Tea.You’ll find it here: Cliff Rd, Salcombe TQ8 8JHAmestaSpanish food is delicious. And what could possible be better than a Spanish inspired Afternoon Tea? Well guys, dreams really do come true! Head to London to experience new basque cuisine tastes which includes foods such as Iberico ham and pork croquettes served with a classic tea or a nice glass of wine. Delicious.You’ll find it here: Halkin St, Belgravia, London SW1X 7DJWhat’s your favourite Afternoon Tea? Let us know over on Twitter! #GBLOVES

From the 14th August, people across the U.K. will be celebrating one of the most famous British food delights, Afternoon Tea! Over the past couple of years, the demand for those freshly baked scones - and those finger sandwiches - have increased massively. We took a look a while back at the history of where the idea for it has originated from and how it’s become one of the most popular ways to socialise with friends and family. And although traditionally, Afternoon Tea was associated with Women, hospitality venues have seen an increase in men - and children- joining in with the fun and replacing sandwiches with mini burgers or small fish and chips. To prepare us for this exciting Afternoon Tea Week, we thought we’d pull together our favourite facts that you can remember next time you’re enjoying your afternoon treat…Fun facts

In the UK, an astonishing 156 million cups of tea are drunk daily!

The most expensive tea bag was produced by Da Hong Pao in China which cost more than 30 times its weight in gold with someone paying almost $28,000 to sample it

The second most expensive tea bag award goes to the brand we all know and love, PG Tips. They teamed up with Boodles the jewellers to celebrate its 75th birthday by creating a diamond encrusted one which was worth £7000

The award for the world’s biggest scone goes to the Hallet family who created one that was 57 lbs, 2 ft in diameter and was baked at temperatures over 230 degrees which has to be specially constructed

For those of you who don’t actually like afternoon tea, there’s plenty of alternative choices including Sushi one, a Chinese one or a street food one…

Afternoon tea used to be referred to as low tea because it was served on low tables as it wasn’t a main meal, instead something light for the ladies to snack on

Afternoon Tea began in the 1800s and was created by Anna the seventh duchess of Bedford who got peckish while waiting in between dinner and tea and wanted something light but filling to keep her going throughout the day

The three most popular sandwiches for Afternoon Tea are...Smoked Salmon and cream cheese, Egg mayonnaise and cress, chicken and mayonnaise.

A saturday remains on the of the most popular days people will enjoy an Afternoon tea on

The victoria sponge cake was named after Queen Victoria as she liked to enjoy a slice of cake with a cup of tea in the afternoon

52% of Britons favour tea as the best hot drink around

How will you be celebrating Afternoon Tea Week? Tweet us and let us know! #GBLOVES

Ah, tequila. It can be both our friend and our enemy. It’s been responsible for some of our greatest memories here at Team GB, but also some of the worst hangovers that we’ve ever endured!

But we’re not one the hold a grudge, and we could never turn our backs on this much-loved tipple. And as it’s National Tequila Day, we’ve been thinking about the cocktails that we enjoy most that feature this little treasure.

OriginsAs we’re all probably well-aware, tequila originates from Mexico. It’s synonyms with the Central American nation and, since being first produced in the 1650s, is now enjoyed across the globe.

It was actually first produced in the town of Tequila (which is obviously now at the top of our list of places to visit next), and started to be exported to the US and beyond from the late 1800s.

How it’s madeIt’s made using juices from the Blue Agave Plant (sort of like Aloe Vera), which needs to be grown for around 10 years before being ready for harvest.

The more Agave used, the higher the purity. Mexican law states that all tequila must use at least 51% of the plant and, surely, any alcoholic drinks containing this amount of green must be a good thing!

How to enjoyWe’re not sure whether it’s just us, but we picture ourselves drinking most tequila-based cocktails on a golden beach; the sun beating down of us as we look out over tranquil blue seas.

But given we’re in the good old UK most of the year, we rely on tequila bringing the holiday vibes to us. Here are just a few of our favourites.

MargaritaA true classic. Grab yourself the following, mix together and transport yourself to the tropics.

Although it’s Summer here in the U.K., it comes as no surprise to any of us that our days are spent indoors, dodging the rain! However, there’s something so cosy and romantic about snuggling up on the sofa with a hot chocolate and listening to the rain fall outside. If you’re looking for something to keep you entertained while you’re sitting in, we’ve compiled a list of our top four foodie films that you need to watch…​ChocolatIf you’re a fan of chocolate and Johnny Depp, then you’ll love this film. It’s based on a single mother and daughter who move to rural France and open a Chocolaterie. The shop causes a few moans from locals who are not happy with this opening (and not to mention its Sunday hours…) however, she manages to win them all over. There’s plenty of chocolate - and a sweet love story that can be enjoyed by all.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryWatch the classic Willy Wonka film and be transported into one of the most magical, fictional places that you could ever imagine. Although there are a few hiccups along the way with some of the annoying characters, it still makes you wish you’d won the Golden ticket so you could explore the factory - and indulge in all of that chocolate…

RatatouilleA romantic and delightful film from Disney is Ratatouille; the story that follows a rat and his taste for good food. Unlike most other rats (!), Remy has one dream to run his own kitchen and with the support of a garbage boy, Alfredo, he’s able to do so, serving up the most amazing dishes in Paris!

TapasA film for us adults is Tapas which is set in a restaurant in Barcelona, Spain. The film focuses on a selection of people who are lonely who each have secrets that they hide. They all connected through this Tapas bar, which brings them all together…

When dining in public here in the UK, there’s plenty of unwritten rules that we tend to abide by such as not burping at the table, and using your knives and forks to eat your meal with. Seems obvious right? However, around the globe, there are plenty of different eating customs that well, are just a little bit weird - I mean can you imagine slurping on your noodles like they do in Asia to be polite? We were fascinated by just how differently people from one country to the next enjoy their food. Check out some the most interesting - and weird- habits from around the world…

Wait for your seniorsWe all know that it’s slightly frowned upon to start tucking into your food before the final member of your party receives their dish. In the UK, eating begins at the same time as everyone else, unlike South Korea where no one can eat anything until the oldest or senior person has started theirs.

Avoid leaving your plate emptyIf you’ve enjoyed your meal, chances are you’ll have eaten everything that has been placed in front of you leaving a clear plate. However, if you’re dining in places such as Korea or Egypt avoid doing so (if you don’t want more). They believe that by polishing everything off is a sign that your waiter or host hasn’t provided you with enough serving, and will keep adding food to your plate if it’s empty. The same goes for your drink too!

Late lunch or early dinner? When you think of a lunch break, it usually sits between the hours of 12 or 2pm. However, in very relaxed countries such as Spain, they don’t eat their lunch until 3pm in the afternoon during the week and across the weekend. One of the main reasons is for this is because they enjoy a late breakfast, but it does raise the question of whether this is just a very late lunch, or an early dinner...

Don’t use that fork…Knives and Forks form part of our table spread in the U.K (and most of Europe). But in Thailand, using a fork to eat with is considered rude. If you’re eating there, instead you need to collect the food with the fork and move it onto a spoon then eat it. In more recent years, people have tried to introduce it with no such luck.

Never leave chopsticks upright!Sticking chopsticks up in the air is extremely frowned upon in China as it is associated with ceremonial meal offerings to the dead...they also believe that it’s rude to wave them at other people, to turn them upside down, to point them at someone else (the list goes on…)!

What is the weirdest food custom you’ve experienced? Let us know over on Twitter #GBLoves

Finally after months (and months) of waiting, Game of Thrones has finally returned to our screens. If you’re a fan or not, you’ve probably heard everyone talking about the latest episode at work, or on the train! The show promises everything we dream about - Jon Snow, mouth-watering medieval meals, a great battle for the throne - and of course, more Jon Snow…ahem….

Before we take our seats on the couch tonight, we thought we’d share a few food facts of what are favourite characters are most likely to indulge on - dependent on their region - whether that’s enjoying a full feast at Winterfell, or dining Alfresco in the King’s Landing Sun...

The WallHome to the Night’s Watch, The 700ft Wall of ice is home to the North’s Men, watching from afar for anyone trying to cross - including their enemies and dangers like the white walkers.. These men brave freezing temperatures daily - eating only as and when they can. A general food choice for these would be meats such as Pork, Cod, Venison and pickled foods- and to snack they would probably enjoy foods such as berries and oats with lots of warm wine to keep snug while on guard.

King’s LandingWith a mixture of both rich and poor, the diets in King’s Landing can vary massively. The wealthy will dine alfresco overlooking the beautiful landscaped surroundings indulging in foods, that include swan, boar, cakes, tarts and fruits, leaving the poor to find scramble the streets looking for something to eat such as dubious brown - a selection of meat and veg - a bit like a modern day version of stew!The Iron Islands Surrounded by sea, those who live on the Iron Islands can indulge in meats that are found in the water - allowing them to have a wide selection of dishes including fish, crabs and meats that are easily accompanied by bread leaving them with all the energy they need to tackle the waves.Join us next week when we will sample more dishes from Westeros and beyond!

ill you be watching Game of Thrones tonight? Tweet us at GB Hospitality and let us know! #Gbloves

In the past couple of years, craft ale brands such as Brewdog, Beavertown and Brooklyn Brewery have become increasingly popular in bars and households; pushing aside some of the more ‘popular’ leading beers such as Carling or Budweiser. If you didn’t know, craft ales are often defined as independent that only produce less than 6 million barrels a year. The hospitality has recognised the demand for these ales and we thought we’d take a look at exactly why they are on the rise.

New tastesIf you head the pub once a week like us, then you’ll probably agree with us that drinking the same beers can be quite repetitive - with every one of them tasting incredibly similar! However, leading bars - such as Wetherspoon- now provide their customers with a delicious selection of beers to allow them to experiment with new and unique tastes from around the world. They can enjoy these new and exciting fruity hops, or pale ales; a world away from your Newcastle Brown Ales!

Image Drinking craft ale is cool. It just is. The rise of brands such as Brewdog have made it cool for the hipsters, movers and shakers amongst us to enjoy the pale ales and IPAs that were once confined to dusty shelves of ‘old man pubs’ across the country. Bars and restaurants have now embraced this trend, and you’re likely to find a delicious craft ale of your choosing in most establishments near to you, such as The Stanneylands very own ale, Outfoxed!

Innovation As big fans of independents, it’s great to see many new craft beers brands on the rise. For too long, the big beer players have held the market monopoly and subdued our taste buds with more and more of the same. It’s so refreshing (literally!) to see so many innovators coming up with great new flavours and bring a new experience to market.

Tweet us over at GB Hospitality and let us know what your favourite craft ales are! #GBLoves

Everybody loves being served a dish that looks as though it has come straight off the page of a cookbook. It’s a visual delight, perfectly presented like an award-winning piece of art. Well, maybe that’s too far! But we do love being served food that somebody has clearly take the time and effort to make look as great as possible.

So you have this great dish in front of you and, before you dive in, that token Instagram shot just needs to be taken. But when we do, the picture just isn’t that great - the food looks as though it’s been slapped together, and your friends think you’re dining in some shady establishment on the wrong side of town.

Working in hospitality, we understand the importance of creating that perfect foodie snap, you want to sell the experience of the food - and create a desire for people to dine there too. Here, we’ve pulled together a couple of tips on how you can really make those foodie Instagram shots look that little bit more delicious…

Consider the lighting With any picture - whether it’s food, drink or a people shot, it’s important to remember that your lighting is everything. A clean, light spaced area will .ensure your shot will contain a fresh image of your food - capturing the colour perfectly. If you are however in a dark or dull-lighted area, and taking a picture on your phone - avoid using flash as this will make the food shot look harsh and not capture the food product as well as you’d hoped. Instead, ask a friend to put their torch on, or use a filter on Instagram which will allow you to brighten it up.

Consider the presentationSimply snapping a simple picture of your food will not sell it, and can make it look quite plain. When creating the perfect shot, your dish will require a bit of TLC which may involve shuffling your food around - whether that’s layering up the salad or re-positioning the olives or bread on the table to capture all of the detail. Most food Instagram influencers have a tendency to inject colour and even the use of cutlery within their shots to create a textured effect - whether that’s a folk digging into the meal, or adding a handful of peppers onto the side to make the picture a bit more exciting.

Limit your filtering One of the fun processes of any photograph is editing - but it’s vital that you don’t get carried away and overdo it - making the real dish look much different to dish that’s in front of us. Instead, focus on natural editing whether that’s increasing the brightness slightly, or adding a soft focus onto your image which will avoid it looking to edited. We’d suggest being careful with filters too unless you have a theme present on your account.

Avoid clutterA simple tactic but one that can easily be overlooked by the person taking the picture. When snapping, make sure anything that is not related to the food is removed...such as that empty wine glass! If it’s not relevant, ensure you remove it to keep the image looking clean, tidy and most importantly, perfectly Instagrammable!

Nothing is better than getting home from work, putting on a fresh pair of PJ's and relaxing in front of Corrie with a cup of tea and a bar of chocolate. And despite being told for many years that Chocolate is really bad for us - as it's full of sugar and that dreaded world, calories - research has now proven that eating dark chocolate in moderation can actually be really good for us. That is, provided it has a cocoa percentage of around 70% of more, and can have a positive impact on lots of health issues from obesity and diabetes. With National Chocolate Day looming this week, we thought we’d take a look at the top 4 reasons why chocolate is actually really good for you, and why we are definitely going to eat more of it!It’s good for your skinOkay, so we aren’t saying to ditch the skin creams and sun creams just yet, but all dark chocolate contain flavonols which work together to protect the skin from sun damage. And, it’s also packed with natural minerals - including potassium, zinc, iron and selenium which will do wonders for your skin. Heart and Circulation Apparently, dark chocolate has the ability to restore flexibility to arteries and prevent white blood cells from attaching themselves to the walls of blood vessels - which will help to prevent artery clogging and keep a healthy, circulation going. It improves your brainNot only are flavanols good for skin protection, they also reduce memory loss in older people, and has been proven to be beneficial to help with brain injuries - for example concussion as it acts as an anti-inflammatory. Most importantly, chocolate makes you feel betterNo, we aren’t just saying that so you can treat yourself to a bar of chocolate, but it actually contains phenylethylamine which is the same chemical that your brains creates when you’re falling in love - and releases those happy endorphins - that’s why it’s the perfect choice of food for when you’re feeling a bit down, or spending time with your other half.How will you be you enjoying #NationalChocolateDay? Tweet us at GB Hospitality! #gbloves

July 4th marks Independence Day for our friends across the pond. It’s a day of celebration; a day off work, fireworks, time with family and chance to celebrate victory against the British (boooo!). But still, we can’t it against them - our American cousins sure know how to party, and Independence Day is renowned across the globe as a celebration of all things USA.

Now we’ve been debating how we to get into the mood for the big day and, as always, food was high on the list of discussion points here at Team GB! We’ve spent the day drooling over all the great treats and delights that are synonymous with this great nation and have compiled a mouthwatering list for those of you looking to celebrate in style tomorrow.

PancakesStack ‘em high, drizzle them with maple syrup and finish with a topping of extra crispy bacon. We don’t think there’s much better ways of starting your day than with a hearty breakfast like this!

Corn dogsA sausage. On a stick. Covered in batter (well, cornmeal!). Topped with ketchup and American-style mustard. What else can we say. A true classic.

Hot dogA sausage. In a bun. Also smothered in ketchup and mustard. Made complete with a whole host off tasty added extras of your choice - lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions; the list goes on!

Chilli dogWe admit, there’s a common theme here. But we’re salivating over our keyboard just looking at all the various ‘dogs’ that Americans can enjoy. This is a hotdog. Covered in chilli. Wow.

Chicken wingsAway from dogs and onto wings. Who doesn’t love a bucket full of succulent chicken wings, flavoured however you like them. Best served in a traditional aluminium bucket.

Philly Cheese Steak SandwichMost cities across the States are famous for one food or another, and Philadelphia is no exception. This traditional delight combines ribeye steak, American cheese and fried onions.

S’mores Away from savoury and onto sweet. S’mores are an old favourite and best enjoyed next to a roaring campfire; all you need is some marshmallows, chocolate and imported Graham Crackers!

DonutsWho doesn’t love a donut. There are literally hundreds of varieties these days, with the likes of Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts flooding the UK with these American classics. Our summer bodies are severely threatened with choices like this on our doorstep.Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich This one might be out of the comfort zone for many Brits, but how many of you remember watching 80s movies or 90s TV shows and hearing people talking about ‘peanut and jelly sandwiches’!? Peanut butter, American-style jam (or Jell-O!) between two slices of soft bread. A bit like Marmite.So there you have it - just some of the USA’s finest imports that you can wrap your chops around tomorrow! Just remember to wash down with a glass of root beer, or an ice cold Bud!​